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THE DUST BOWL
April 10, 1935 Grandmother Phillips writes from Wichita: "We are having a terrible
dust storm today, the first one here since I came, nearly 3 months ago. They have been
almost continuous at Lyons. Was so sorry not to see Mrs. Heter, but I kept feeling
worse the last month, & the dust storms were so terrible, we couldn't do much but keep
alive. ... Kansas has acquired a lot of soil from Colo., New Mexico and Texas this year
and we do not seem to have lost any."
April 11, 1935 Grandmother Heter writes from Sterling: "Elenor we are haveing the worst
dust Storm now or as bad as we have had & it has lasted twa nights & a Day still Blowing.
I have my windows & Doors Stopped up with wet rags & that helps a little. It rained just
Enough to stick the dust to Everything outsid & my windows one cant hardly see through them."
April 11, 1935 Grandmother Heter continues: "Yesterday a club I belong to Drove to
Hutchinson ... & we had to Drive with the lights on & be Carefull to not Run Into some
one. ... This is the third bad dust Storm we have had here this Spring & It comes from
western Kans. Colorado & Wyoming our ground here doesent blow so badly."
April 14, 1935, known as "Black Sunday," brought one of the worst dust storms in the
history of western Kansas. The day started out sunny, and people were relieved to see
sunshine after weeks of dust storms. In the mid-afternoon, the temperature dropped and
a huge black cloud appeared on the horizon. The cloud approached quickly and with a
thunderous roar. Winds were clocked at 60 miles per hour. These photographs were both
taken on April 14, 1935, at Dodge City (left), and at Wichita (right).
 
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